


Secrets, Secrets

by delcee



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Presents, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 14:04:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5419802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delcee/pseuds/delcee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick's been keeping secrets and Jason is terrified he knows what they are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secrets, Secrets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WriterOfFates](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterOfFates/gifts).



> Hi! Um... well I was planning on making art for the exchange this year, but when I saw the prompts I had gotten, got really excited and knew I wouldn't be able to do any of them justice with just a picture or even a comic. So this is actually my first ever fic! It got a little out of hand and ended up being more angst than fluff but I hope that you like it anyways!  
> Happy holidays! *blows kiss*

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

And Jason? He _hated_ it.

For the last few weeks Dick had been avoiding him. Dick texts five times a day to see how Jason was doing Grayson was dodging his calls and blowing him off with lame excuses. Like, _really_ lame excuses. For a man with a secret identity, Dick was a shockingly pathetic liar.

  
That thought left Jason snorting bitterly as he glared down at his…fifth? Sixth drink? He wasn’t even sure anymore and frankly, he couldn’t bring himself care. He just let the bitter liquor and the bitter thought wash over him as the other bar patrons pointedly avoided him.

  
_Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._  
 _Should have known better._  
 _Shouldn’t have gotten attached._  
 _Should have known that only good people get to have things that good._  
 _And you? Definitely not good._  
 _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

Jason downed the rest of his drink in one go as he thought about that evening’s dumb excuse. As obvious as Dick’s avoidances had been up till tonight, some part of Jason had still hoped that maybe he was wrong. Maybe he was just being paranoid. But tonight Dick had claimed that his presence was required at some Wayne Foundation event.

But there was no such gala. Jason checked.  
_At least I know for sure now_ , Jason thought.

But _god_ he wished he didn’t.

\-----------------------------------------------------

It wasn’t long after when the bartender cut him off and Jason dragged himself out of the bar into the frigid December air. The bar was a seedy, hole-in-the-wall kind of joint not far from Crime Alley that Jason frequented whenever his mind was in a bad place. It seemed fitting, after all, he was always going to be the street rat from the ghetto. Nothing could wash away the fact that he was _nothing_. No wonder Dick was running, he must have seen it too.

And it was with that thought that Jason looked across the street only to see him. Dick. He was right there and Jason wanted to scream or punch him or something but his voice froze in his throat and his feet were glued to the ground, because Dick wasn’t alone. He was walking arm in arm with Barbara and she was leaning up to whisper in his ear and he was laughing and Jason was dying.

They walked past without ever noticing he was there.

\-----------------------------------------------------

A wave of nausea hit Jason as he cracked his eyes open to the daylight pouring in through the windows of his safe house. “Holy hell,” he rasped out as he sat up, forcing down the symptoms of possibly the worst hangover he’d ever had. Well, the worst alcohol induced hangover at least. Pit hangover is something else entirely.

Jason pulled himself to his feet and started to totter his way toward the bathroom taking note of the empty bottle of whisky on the floor. Hadn’t that been nearly full? _How much did I drink last night?_ Jason thought as he looked himself over in the mirror. He certainly looked like the zombie he so often joked that he was.  
Jason closed his eyes, trying to remember the events of the previous evening. Dick blew him off, and then there was the bar and then… _oh_.

This time when the need to vomit tore through him he didn’t resist.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Jason was busy staring at the wall when the knock on his door came. Still in a daze, Jason stood and simply went to open it, not even checking as to who might be on the other side.

“Hey there Little Wing!”

Jason started, eyes focusing on the man standing before him. The stupidly cheerful, two-timing, backstabbing, _achingly beautiful_ man. Looking concerned at Jason’s disheveled appearance and lack of response, Dick Grayson lifted the small, brown bag he was carrying. “I brought takeout! Thai.”

As Jason continued to simply stare at him, Dick chose to simply slide past him into the apartment. “I got extra dumplings so we don’t have to fight over them this time,” he said, placing the bag on the kitchen table. As Dick went to pull a couple of forks out of the drawer and grabbed sodas from the fridge, Jason slowly regained control of his faculties, slowly started to shake as the rage bubbled up.

“What… The fuck… Are you doing?” Jason slowly ground out.

Dick turned to him, startled and clearly confused. “Huh? I was just… what’s wrong Jay?” Dick’s brow knit together in concern as he looked Jason over.

“What’s wrong?” Jason asked, his voice like ice, “What’s _wrong_?!? I don’t know Dick, how was the _Foundation_ event last night?”

“I…I...” Dick stammered, eyes going wide as he realized his lie had been caught.

“While we’re at it,” Jason spat, “How’s Barbara? She _good_ , Dick?”

Dick merely stared back at Jason in mute horror.

The silence stretched between them, heavy and choking. Jason felt too much like he had lying beneath the rubble all those years ago. Couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, knowing that this was the end but still…hoping. Hoping that Dick would save him. Tell him he was wrong, that they were fine. That nothing else was going on.

But then Jason realized that he wouldn’t believe him even if he did.

“Get out.” Jason said, voice barely above a whisper.

The words startled Dick back into action. “Jason, wait! It’s not-”

Jason cut him off, “I said, get out.”

“Jay wait, I-“

“GET OUT!” Jason shouted, moving forward to physically force the older man out the door. “GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!”

Dick stumbled backwards out of the door and raised his head to give Jason one more look full of hurt and desperation until Jason slammed the door in his face.  
Jason slowly sank to the floor and let the pain and loss overwhelm him in silence.

\-----------------------------------------------------

The last few days until Christmas passed slowly. Jason went about his normal routine. He ate, he slept, he patrolled. But he saw none of the rest of the family, he dodged calls from Roy.

And the smarter of Gotham’s criminals laid low as the Red Hood gave no quarter.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Christmas Eve arrived and snow was falling heavily over the streets of Gotham as Jason prepped his equipment for patrol. He was just about ready to suit up when he heard a soft knock on the door of his apartment.  
Jason stood, approaching the door warily, remembering to look through the peephole this time. He wasn’t surprised to find Dick standing on the other side.

Jason turned to simply walk away and leave the former boy wonder hanging, Dick’s voice floated softly through the door.

“C’mon Jay, I know you’re there. Please open the door. I’ve just got one thing to say and then I’ll be gone, I promise.”

Jason hesitated for a moment, but he knew how stubborn Dick was. He’d probably just camp outside his door if he didn’t open up and that was just inviting suspicion from any of his neighbors. So instead, he opened the door, glaring while he did so.

For a moment the two simply stared at one another. Dick’s nose was reddened from the cold, his hair mussed slightly from the wind outside, snowflakes clinging to the ends. Jason definitely wasn’t thinking about how beautiful he looked. Nope, definitely not.

“Um…” Dick started, looking down at a wrapped package in his hands. “I just… I wanted to give you your Christmas present.” He held out the gift, wrapped beautifully in gold and silver paper.

Slowly, Jason reached out to take the package from him. Dick continued to look anywhere but at Jason. When after a minute it became clear that Dick had no intention of leaving until said gift had been opened, Jason began to unwrap it, tearing the paper more violently than was strictly necessary.

Inside was what appeared to be a photo album bound in soft, black leather. Jason flipped it open to the first page and gasped, nearly dropping the book in surprise.  
It was pictures of his parents.

Jason began flipping through. Photo after photo of his mother and father beaming up at him and then…oh. Not just Catherine and Willis Todd. There were pictures of Sheila Haywood, and pictures of Jason from before his parent’s had died, all of them pictures he had never seen. Further in now and there was Bruce and Alfred and then Roy and Kori.

Jason was speechless as he flipped through the book again.

“Alfred told me that your old family photos were the only thing you ever came to get from the manor,” Dick said softly, “I thought you might like to have a few more. Babs helped me track down people we thought might have pictures of them and you. That’s what we were doing in Crime Alley. Nothing else I swear. You don’t…. you don’t have to believe me. But, I…. I wanted you to know.”

Dick turned to leave, “Merry Christmas, Jason.”

Dick hadn’t gotten two steps before Jason’s arm shot out, pulling Dick tightly against his chest.

“Jason,” Dick mumbled against Jason’s collarbone “I-“

“Shut up, Grayson”

“I’m so sorry lied to-“

“Oh my god, I said shut it.” Jason laughed in to Dick’s hair.

They were silent for a moment, simply enjoying the embrace, Dick wrapping his arms tightly around Jason’s waist.

“So you really like it?” Dick asked, uncertainty coloring his tone. “I wasn’t sure if-“

“I love it,” Jason returned. “It’s a shame though, I don’t have anything for you to unwrap. Not since I introduced the gift I got for you to some C4.”

“Yikes,” Dick laughed out. “That’s okay Jay. This-“ He said, giving Jason a squeeze, “is all I need.”

“Oh really?” Jason crooned, “Because I was just thinking about all kinds of _other_ things I could give you.”

“Well you know I’d never say no to a gift from you, Jason,” Dick said, looking up at Jason through his lashes, a sinful grin spreading across his face.

Jason leaned down, pulling Dick up in to a gentle kiss.

“Merry Christmas, Dick.”

“Merry Christmas, Little Wing.”


End file.
